Organisation - March 28, 2013

Depot buys De Dreijen Arboretum

Tree garden to be restored to its full glory.

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A definite decision has finally been taken on the future of De Dreijen Arboretum. Wageningen UR is selling the site to Utopa Foundation, which owns Het Depot sculpture gallery. Utopa has already been managing a large part of the Arboretum for several years.  
The agreement means that with the exception of the northernmost pond, all of De Dreijen is now in the hands of Utopa and its financer Loek Dijkman. According to Utopa spokesperson Toos Rutten, the intention is to make De Dreijen an integrated whole again. The pond will be renovated and the existing pine grove will be extended with new conifers. The wooded corner with the tall trees on Generaal Foulkesweg will also be extended. It is not yet clear what trees will be added. Rutten: 'Our experts are still working on this. But the trees will certainly be unusual ones.'  
Utopa acquired the management of part of the Arboretum four years ago after it had purchased the Botanic Centre next door. This building now houses Het Depot. At the time there were plans for the construction of eco-homes in the part of the arboretum next to the Transitorium. The plans sparked off huge protests. Many Wageningen residents were not at all happy about the threat of residential building in and around the park. The plans turned out to be politically unfeasible and so they were shelved.